By Angela Blue
236 Clearfield Ave., Virginia Beach | 757-497-2000 | Entercom.com
Other locations are nationwide.
Founded: 1968
Employees: 100 (full- and part-time)
There are certain undeniable perks that come with working at a radio station: meeting celebrities, in-office concerts, access to entertainment venues and free swag galore. But it’s the day-to-day culture—team atmosphere, encouraged creativity, an understanding that employees are valued—that makes working at this national broadcast company feel special.
This past year Entercom merged with CBS Radio, making them the second largest footprint in America with 235 radio stations, engaging over a million people every week. “We are the largest provider of live, original, local audio content, and I think that comes through really caring about our employees, our listeners and our advertisers,” says Entercom Vice President Bennett Zier.
Even with such a large reach, the atmosphere at Entercom is personal, where good ideas are encouraged, utilized and rewarded, no matter who came up with it. “We don’t have a lot of bureaucracy, and it’s the best idea wins,” Zier notes. Throughout the office, walls have been turned into the whiteboards, with markers readily available for employees to jot down their ideas and thoughts as they come. “We encourage ideas all day long, whether it’s in the water cooler at the kitchen, standing in the parking lot, it just doesn’t matter,” Zier notes.
Along with recognizing good ideas, Zier makes it a point to reward a job well done. “It doesn’t have to be just about ratings and revenue; it can be improving our carbon footprint, it can be about raising money for a charity, it can be about volunteering,” he shares.
Volunteering is an important aspect of Entercom, with employees being encouraged to take a half day each quarter to work in the community. Each year employees come together for their signature event, Stuff the Bus for Toys for Tots, they raise money for CHKD as a radiothon, and they work closely with the USO, Wounded Warriors and the Navy SEALs.
The staff also has plenty of opportunities to come together for fun events too, like parking lot cookouts or the annual Hampton Roads Corporate Challenge. “We met a lot of people, and it gave employees a chance to participate,” Zier says. “And since we didn’t do very well, we plan to come back next year with real fury. So look out.”
To ensure that employees are experiencing both a fun and fulfilling work environment, Zier asks their opinions constantly. Entercom has an advisory council, made up of eight employees (not department heads) who are always looking for ways to make the work environment better. “I think it’s important that people are asked about their job and asked about their future,” he says. “It’s important that they feel that people care.”
Photo by Doug Arcos Photography
Work Perks
- Celebration of life events at work
- Company discounts for products
- Free giveaways from events
- Free access to entertainment events, including in-studio concerts
- Company flyaways that include professional development and entertainment for top performers
- Great swag
- Sponsored community service opportunities
- Surveys to gauge employee satisfaction
Why I Love My Job
“Throughout the year, we send our on-air talent and their significant others to the Caribbean to broadcast live, this year we will be doubling our 401(k) match, and we host an annual Open House, treating our partners and clients to gourmet food, spirits and incredible swag.”
—Melanie Boffo Williams, Senior Marketing Consultant, seven years with Entercom
